171: Real Estate Investing for Women: Susan’s First Flip

Leaving a corporate career can feel freeing—and deeply uncertain. You may have more time, retirement funds to steward, and a desire to build something meaningful, but still wonder where to start. That is exactly where Susan Pittton found herself after accepting an early retirement buyout.

In this episode of the Without Fear for Future podcast, Susan shares how she moved from a 35-year corporate career into real estate investing for women with focus, courage, and a willingness to learn. After joining the Women’s Real Estate Investors Network in January 2025, she completed eight private money lending deals, took on her first major flip, and reports earning a $300,000 profit.

Her journey is not about rushing into risky decisions. It is about learning the numbers, building relationships, following up with integrity, and taking the next wise step. Whether you are considering lending, flipping, or long-term rentals, Susan’s story offers a practical reminder: your next season can create both income and impact.

From Corporate Skills to Investing Confidence

Susan did not enter real estate as a seasoned investor. She came from 35 years in the corporate world, including 30 years with one software company. Her work required her to lead complex international software rollouts, manage competing priorities, and solve problems when plans changed.

Those skills became assets in real estate investing for women. Investing requires project management, communication, decision-making, and the ability to stay steady when a deal becomes complicated. Susan’s corporate experience did not disappear when she retired—it became part of her investor toolkit.

Before joining WREIN, Susan spent time getting clear on what she did and did not want. She knew she did not want to become a real estate agent. But she was drawn to renovations, property transformation, and the possibility of creating income beyond traditional investments.

Her first major learning step came through the WREIN MasterClass. She learned concepts such as the 70% rule, after-repair value, and house flipping fundamentals. She also discovered an option she had not previously known existed: lending capital to other investors.

That learning led to action. Instead of waiting until she knew everything, Susan joined conversations, watched funding opportunities, and took a measured first step. Within roughly four months, she had funded eight private lending opportunities.

The lesson is simple: confidence is rarely the entry ticket. More often, confidence grows after you learn, connect, and take responsible action.

Private Money Lending Creates More Than Returns

For Susan, private money lending became a practical way to participate in real estate before taking on every responsibility of owning and renovating a property herself. A private money lender provides capital for a real estate deal, often secured by a recorded lien and documented through formal loan paperwork.

The host described private lending as a short-term lending strategy, but every loan’s rate, collateral, timeline, borrower, and legal protections differ. Do not treat another investor’s return as a promise or a benchmark. Review the deal, verify the security position, and involve qualified legal, tax, and financial professionals before committing capital.

Susan’s approach shows why community matters in women wealth building:

• She observed opportunities before funding them.
• She listened to investor conversations and learned how borrowers presented deals.
• She built relationships inside a network designed for education and collaboration.
• She began with a single deal, then evaluated future opportunities.
• She used momentum without abandoning discernment.

Susan also plans to explore a self-directed IRA for future lending. That strategy requires extra care: self-directed retirement accounts have prohibited-transaction and self-dealing rules, especially when family members or personal benefit are involved. Seek professional guidance before using retirement funds in private lending or real estate.trustetc

The deeper opportunity is not only the potential return. Private lending can help another investor complete a project while allowing the lender to choose a role that better fits her capital, capacity, and risk tolerance.

A $300K Flip Was Built on Follow-Up

Susan’s first completed flip shows the power of persistence paired with disciplined analysis. She found a distressed property in a small gated Florida community, located about 10 minutes from her home. Because there were only seven homes in the neighborhood, comparable sales were limited, so she kept her after-repair value conservative.

Her first two offers were ignored. Many investors would have moved on for good. Susan did not chase the sellers or force the deal. Instead, she monitored the listing, watched the timeline, and stayed ready.

When the property came off the market after another buyer backed out during inspection, Susan reached out directly. The seller was facing serious financial pressure and welcomed the conversation. Susan purchased the property, closed in about three weeks, renovated it, and sold it after roughly seven months. She reported a $300,000 profit.

This is a powerful real estate investment mindset shift: “no” is not always final. Time can change a seller’s circumstances, motivation, and openness to a solution.

Still, the episode does not present flipping as easy money. Susan faced unexpected work and higher renovation costs than planned. Her win came from conservative numbers, respectful follow-up, a willingness to solve problems, and a commitment to improve the home—not from luck alone.

Her long-term vision goes beyond one profitable project. Susan wants to build rentals and income-producing assets that can support her children and siblings over time. That is stewardship with a legacy mindset.

Key Takeaways

• Your career experience can become an investing advantage.
• Start with education, but do not let learning become analysis paralysis.
• Real estate investing for women can include lending, flipping, rentals, and other strategies.
• Attend live investor conversations even before you are ready to fund a deal.
• Evaluate private money lending opportunities based on documents, collateral, borrower quality, and professional advice.
• Use conservative numbers when comparable sales are limited.
• Follow up respectfully; a seller’s motivation can change with time.
• Build contingency funds because renovation projects often cost more than planned.
• Treat a profitable flip as a business outcome, not a guarantee for future deals.
• Build wealth with a purpose bigger than your own income.

Real Estate Investing for Women: Frequently Asked Questions